1990-92: Worked as a fitness trainer at various clubs and coached the junior team at Vitoria Setubal before taking a post as assistant coach at Estrela Amadora.

1992: Accepted a job as a translator for former England coach Bobby Robson at Sporting, later taking on a role as an assistant coach.

1994-1996: Worked as second assistant and later first assistant to Robson at Porto, helping the club to two league titles, one Portuguese Cup and one Portuguese Super Cup.

1996: Moved with Robson to Barcelona, again working as his assistant, and won the King's Cup, Super Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup in Robson's sole season in charge.

1997-2000: Stayed on at Barcelona and began working for Louis van Gaal, who used him at first as assistant and later as a scout. Under Van Gaal, won the league in 1998 and 1999 among other titles.

2000: Took first job as fully-fledged coach in charge at Benfica but fell out with club president after short time and quit.

2001: Took over at Uniao Leiria.

2002: In January, with Leiria in third place, moved to Porto, taking the team up to third by the end of the season.

2003: Won a treble of UEFA Cup, and domestic league and cup with Porto in his first full season in charge. Later added Portuguese Super Cup.

2004: Clinched second successive league title and failed to complete another domestic double when Porto lost in final of Portuguese Cup to Benfica. Made up for that disappointment with a 3-0 win over Monaco in Champions League final in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on May 26.

Announced intention to leave after the match and was appointed coach of Chelsea on a three-year contract on June 2.